The Ghana Railway Workers Union has expressed its readiness to work with the Nana Akufo-Addo administration to implement the vision of the government for the Railway industry.
President Akufo-Addo yesterday announced plans to create a new ministry solely responsible for railway development and named Mr. Joe Ghartey as the Minister nominated to oversee the activities of the industry, subject to parliamentary approval.
Speaking to Citi Business News, the General Secretary of the Railway Workers Union, Godwill Ntarmah thanked Nana Addo for the creation of the ministry and maintained that the union will resist any attempt by the truck drivers’ cartel to forestall the revamping of the industry.
He alleged that some owners of huge trucks in the country have opposed the revamping of the railway industry due to the fear of competition.
“We have wondered why the railway revamping have not come onboard so we also had that perception that those who have the trucks, the road trucks who are also hauling bauxite and manganese are the brain behind,”.
“But let me tell you, I’m really assured with the creation of the Ministry of Railways, I don’t think if the president was not going to support that ministry he will not create it so for the fact that the railways ministry have been created we are not going rest, because just creating the ministry will not do the trick because the ministry me be given all the resources to be able to perform,” he added.
He vowed that the union will do everything legally to stabilize the operations of the railway industry against any cartel seeking the demise of the industry.
“Let me say for now, whatever cartel, whatever thing that is in place now, once this ministry has been created, it is going to be the lifeline of every railway worker, we are going to ensure that those things are put behind us and we move forward with bringing the railway back on truck,” he stressed .
He argued that the railway industry has the potential to accelerate the development of the country.
“It is a serious thing, if we do the railway the enormous benefit that we will get as a nation is greater than what those who have brought the trucks can do. So let’s look at the nation first, so we pray that the creation of the ministry will bring good tidings to the railway industry,” he said.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
